Send me email updates about messages I've received
on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.By signing up, you certify that
you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.

My daughter has stomach complaints and nothing helps. What can I do?

My daughter is 7 and she lives part time with me and part time with her father. The past two months she has complained consistently about her stomach. She's not feverish, throwing up or having diarreah(sp?). I ignored it thinking it was little girl doesn't want to go to school syndrome but her father caved and we took her to the doctor. The doctor thought it might be acid reflux and we tried giving her tums for several days. That didn't help and she went to school after missing four days with tears in her eyes. Her teacher thinks it might be separation anxiety. My child is fine until bedtime or school time. I think her stomach pains are real but emotional. Her father thinks I must not spend enough time with her. I'm looking for advice- I'm not sure what to do.

I agree with you "little girl doesn't want to go to school syndrome" however the real question is what causing that. Is she getting bullied at school, could she need glasses or have a reading problem, does she not like her teacher or fix in. If it was my child, I would get an eye test and I see what school groups or activities she can get involved in so will want to go to school and have a groups she feels part of. Not all kids fit in at school.

Thanks. I'm hoping it's not an ulcer. I'm going to talk to her today about starting like a worry journal. Where she could write down the things that bother her and we could talk about them. I don't want her to think I'm ignoring her stomach pains but she can't keep missing school. She likes school generally and she gets good grades( all A's), she reads above her level. Her father and I separated 3 years ago and were divorced last year. I think she still has concerns about her father and me but the stomach pains are very new. Second grade just seems to be a difficult year for her and I'm not sure why.

If the journal doesn't help then I will have to see about getting her an xray and tested for an ulcer. I've tried giving her milk in case it was an ulcer but she said that didn't help either.

Comment by
Anonymous
(original poster)
at 3:51 PM on Jan. 7, 2011

I, too, thought separation anxiety when I read your description. You might want to consider a mental health eval. since her physician isn't finding a physical reason for the problems.

My daughter consistantly complained of stomach pain for a few months. We also tried reflux treatments and had no luck. She was fully screened and nothing was medically wrong. One day she casually mentioned that she had trouble seeing. Since getting glasses, the problem is gone.